Juma hides in his uncle's dhow (after arguing with his cousin) and inadvertently joins the annual Dhow sailing race around the islands of Zanzibar, while his sister chases after the Changuu Island tortoises.
The story introduces the ancient Stone Town and the Swahili boat culture. The story is supplemented with a map of the United Republic of Tanzania, focusing on the islands of Zanzibar, a map of the continent of Africa, and a ki-Swahili language glossary. The Tanzania Juma stories also include
Juma and Little Sungura
,
Juma on Safari
, and
Juma Cooks Chapati
.